"The challenges are always different..."
Chris Jenkins explains why he left a job as deputy manager for a large men’s retail chain to join RDM Electrical as an apprentice electrician. Chris was recently named West Wales Electrical Apprentice of the Year.
Q. Changing career was a huge decision. How did it come about?
A. I couldn’t help feeling that my career prospects in the retail sector were pretty
limited. I’d always thought of myself as a practical person and enjoyed
working with my hands. The building services sector caught my imagination because there’s huge scope to work in all sorts of different areas – even abroad. Once I’d made up my mind I didn’t have any second thoughts.
Q. How did you set about making the career change?
A. RDM had a vacancy for an apprentice and I was keen to do it properly – by
which I mean getting my NVQ and following a recognised career path. One of my colleagues is being supported by RDM to complete an HNC in Building
Services Engineering so there’ll be plenty of opportunities for me to progress further after getting my NVQ.
Q. Do you think you made the right decision?
A. Absolutely! One of the things I love about the job is that there’s no such thing as a typical day. Even if I’m doing the same sort of work, the challenges are always different. I’ve worked on installations in bus stations, hotels, restaurants, offices and factories – even a holiday village! Perhaps I should also mention that I’m earning more now as an apprentice that I was as a deputy manager in retail!
Q. Can you describe a particularly challenging project you’ve worked on?
A I think it was probably a bus station in South Wales. The job required me to use a wide range of skills, including metalwork. I helped to install fire alarms and lighting and power circuits and learnt a huge amount.
A There are times when you’re under pressure to meet a deadline. It’s great to be working alongside colleagues as part of a team. There’s a fantastic feeling of satisfaction when a job’s well done and you can look back on what you’ve achieved. Q. And finally…. What does a good day at work mean to you?
